Exhibitions | Kelly O'Grady Dron Clan Histories

Sam Foley: Moving image paintings

Posted on December 7, 2015 by emmajeankelly

Tilting at the heart of the beast, 2012 (Berlin)

Te Tahi Bay 2015

I first saw Sam Foley’s Berlin street scene at Pah Homestead in Auckland in 2012 where it won a Wallace Art Award. This, along with images of Titahi Bay and other familiar places are included in this fine exhibition at Pataka. The combination of oil painting, projection and sound really works in this space. I must however point out that my partner Jay Hollows is Gallery Supervisor and helped Sam with the technical set up. So I have a bias, but this work is still really stunning.

James Harcourt – Climate Change Refugees, Pātaka Art Gallery & Museum

Posted on December 6, 2015 by emmajeankelly

Today I chanced upon a performance in the spine (the central walk through area) of Pātaka Art Gallery & Museum in Porirua. It was part of James Harcourt’s exhibition in the Toi Gallery, with a climate change theme. Dancers and drummers wearing masks performed a choreographed routine. The masks are the feature of the exhibition, and are painted on nikau palm. They really look quite brilliant. They represent climate change refugees, human and animal, to ask ‘where are we going?’ Well worth a visit, and check out the Whitireia Grad exhibition and the Wallace Art Awards as well as the social history ‘Made in Porirua’ while you’re at it.

Pataka James Harcourt (31) Pataka James Harcourt (29) Pataka James Harcourt (30) Pataka James Harcourt (28)

Paris – Cinematheque Francaise

Posted on November 6, 2015 by emmajeankelly

The film archive which was founded first in the world by Henri Langlois. It’s legendary, and a Scorcese exhibition is on when I visit. Needless to say I’m extremely excited. The Library and Bookshop are part of main building as well as a Museum space.

The Scorcese exhibition was absolutely packed with people. Very impressive. It was incredible to see how people were fascinated by cinema in Paris. The Sunday afternoon commercial cinema I passed had a queue running down the road!

Brussels – Cinematheque Royale

Posted on November 6, 2015 by emmajeankelly

The Cinematheque Royale at Brussels in Belgium has always had a serious focus on silent cinema and regularly plays films with live accompaniment. The Wunderkammer exhibition of early cinematography at the Cinematek exhibition space is great.

In Brussels everything is written in both Dutch and French to serve the two main communities. Flemish is spoken too of course. This is one of the older film archives, founded in 1938 and is government funded. The archive also screens films for various other venues and for festivals.

Amsterdam – Eye Film Institute

Posted on November 6, 2015 by emmajeankelly

It’s difficult not to be really really enthusiastic about this archive. New and purpose built, just over the water from Amsterdam Central Train Station (free ferry ride too), the Eye Institute is amazing. The touring Antonioni exhibition was on when I visited. The Panorama permanent exhibition on film from nitrate to digital is excellent, the restaurant is wonderful and they have a great array of contemporary and archival films playing daily.